More women in construction? We need a rethink in the system!

Sandra Malicki's team is a rare example of female power in the construction industry: she herself is planning manager and deputy overall project manager at one of the largest and most technologically advanced healthcare buildings in Switzerland. And with two female project managers and one female site manager, women are also much more strongly represented in her 42-strong team than in the industry as a whole, where the proportion of women is still around 12%.

For Sandra, there are clear reasons why women are not flocking to construction sites in droves: "In the industry, women are still considered exotic and are often confronted with corresponding prejudices and reactions that many colleagues are probably not even aware of. One example? A woman is praised for having built up good relationships with business partners - with the comment: "That's probably down to gender!" What seems like recognition at first glance is actually an insult. "The work performance of every employee should be assessed purely on its own merits and not against the background of gender," says Sandra Malicki. "And we should react to verbal derailments within the team with regard to gender. If we don't do this, they remain normal and accepted - and ultimately nothing changes."

Her advice to anyone who wants to attract more women to the construction industry? "We need a rethink in the system - and that will only happen if both women and men are committed to it."

She advises women to generally have more confidence in themselves. "We tend to be too modest and not stand up for ourselves enough. Most male colleagues approach issues with more self-confidence - and are therefore more likely to be considered for exciting tasks and promotions." She also believes that line managers have a duty here: “We need to support women - whether in the team or as mentors for the next generation. The message must be: You and your skills are welcome.”

Sandra Malicki thinks it's worth getting involved in the issue. "What I like about my job is having the chance to work on such a fantastic project, to see how something concrete is being created that will shape the face of the city for many, many years to come. I've never had such a great team, where everyone is pulling in the same direction, where you can rely on each other 100% - that's what makes this job at Implenia so attractive to me - and it would be a shame if the many talented women out there missed out on the chance of a similar experience."